The Phoenix & The Dragon Chapter 2

The kitchen door slammed open causing me to jump. Morgan was struggling to carry a tray loaded with used glass wear into the back to be washed. “Sorry Mistress.” She hurried away before I could object to being called by my old title. You would think after so many centuries together she would just call me by my name.

Shrugging it off I grabbed a damp rag and started wiping down the bar of all the freshly spilt beer before it began to stink up the place. As I made my way down the length of the counter a drunk leaned over the side grabbing my elbow to get my attention, “What time you get off my porcelain beauty?” I had cut him off two hours ago and it was getting on to last call, so I smiled sweetly to him my emerald green eyes sparkling at him. “I never get off.” He leaned in closer, the smell of whisky on his breath made me want to vomit.

“Someone as pretty as you should be getting off every night. Maybe I can help with that.” When he smiled at me I could see the nicotine stains on his teeth. Why do I always attract the ass holes? Oh wait, I work in a bar and its last call.

“I do get off, just not with you.” As I started to walk away he grabbed the back of my arm as hard as he could, good thing I have a high pain tolerance, “That wasn’t very nice. I’m trying to help you feel good.” He slurred the last part, but I had had enough of this crap. I took his hand bending it backwards like a rag doll hearing a pop, pretty sure I dislocated it.

“Don’t touch the staff.” I let go of his hand with a shove causing him to fall off the stool. The last few patrons left looked up as he clutched his wrist swearing, “You black haired bitch! I’m gonna sue!”

I smiled sweetly at him pointing to the corners of the room, “Go for it pal, I’ve got cameras here and you touched me first.”

He stumbled to his feet and hammered up the stairs pouting. Sometimes I really hate my job. “Is he gone Mistress?” Morgan peer out from behind the kitchen door her brown eyes wide with terror. I sighed and rolled my shoulders, “Yes Morgan, he’s gone. Please stop calling me Mistress here. This is a different time and people will get the wrong idea about us.” Morgan blushed at my last words, “I’m sorry Mis…I mean Carolyn. I meant no offence.” “I know. Go lock up the back door while I count the till and we’ll go home.” Morgan ran back threw the door and I started counting the till. What a long ass night, but at least it was profitable. “Closing time everyone, we’ll see you tomorrow night.” The few people left finished their drinks, gathered their things, thanked me for a great night and followed each other back up the stairs to the street.

When we moved here to Chicago seven months ago, we opened up the Phoenix Cave. Just some little hole in the wall bar that paid the bills and gave us a comfortable living. Morgan, her little five foot two frame came bouncing back threw the door her curly brown hair falling down around her. She picked up the rag I was using earlier and finished wiping down the bar top and moved on to the tables lifting the chairs on top as she went. For being so small, the girl had a lot of strength to her. Didn’t need to hire bouncers, and every one kept telling us that two small girl’s like our selves should have protection.

I’m not much taller then Morgan, same slim build, same slender hands, same porcelain skin, just I had emerald eyes and Morgan has brown. We told people we were sisters, and everyone believes us. I stretched my neck looking up to see Morgan watching. “We did well tonight!” I flashed her a stack of bills with a smile, “And the best part, there’s no damage tonight that needs fixing. Guess there’s a first time for everything.” Morgan smiled as she threw up the last of the chairs. “I’m gonna go upstairs and lock the front gate and door.” She disappeared and I heard the locks clicking into place.

When I blinked Morgan was standing in front of me, “I’m hungry. Do you think we can pick something up on the way home?” I smiled at her, for someone so small, the girl sure could eat. “Yah, we’ll grab take out. What do you feel like tonight? We had Thai last night.” Morgan smiled, “I feel like Greek tonight, do you think they’ll deliver?” “I’m sure for the right price they will!” I winked at her as I stuffed the cash in the envelope for the bank, grabbed my keys and crammed the money in my back pocket. Morgan grabbed our coats and we headed out the back door locking it behind us.

Morgan leaned back on the couch gasping for breath in our small twelfth floor flat, a small trickle of blood rolled down the corner of her mouth. She placed the blood bag she had been drinking down on the coffee table in front of her picking up a napkin to wipe her face.

“You know, we will have to make a run to the blood bank again if you keep eating like that. We’ll be out before the end of the week. I know we had a good pay out tonight, but there are other things that we need to pay for, like rent and electricity.” I watched her as she used the napkin to wipe up the few drops of blood from the table that had dripped from the spout on the bag.

“I am sorry Mistress, I am just so hungry lately, and I’m not sure why.” Morgan got up and grabbed the now empty bag to throw it in the biohazard bucket in the kitchen. I shook my head at her as I pulled off my thigh high leather boots and tossed them by the front door of our loft apartment . “Well you have been working harder at the bar tossing people out.”

I looked around at our loft, the brick walls reminded me of the old castle, but the view was amazing. The ten-foot-high windows along the back of the living room showed off the city back drop and the lights from below placed an eerie glow across the hard wood floors. In the distance, I could see the early morning glow as the sun started to come up. Settling into the high-backed leather sofa, I grabbed the remote that would close the heavy curtains across the windows. Technology in this era was amazing, a push of the button and the sun could be blotted out. Not forever, but for at least the better part of the day while we slept.

“Mistress?” I had stretched out on the sofa draping one arm over my eyes, my tight leather pants making it harder to put my legs up. “What is it Morgan?” Morgan shifted in the door way of the kitchen, I peered at her with one eye from under my arm. “Well, what is it?” Morgan twisted the front of her punk rock shirt in her hands, nervous about how to ask the next question, “Do you think we are safe here? I know it’s been eighty years since we have been thru this city, but something is telling me danger is coming.” I sighed at that question closing my eyes for a moment to think. “We do what we always do my girl, if danger comes we fight and pray we escape with our lives and each other.” I looked at her, the worry on her face as she looked around at our meager dwelling. We didn’t have much, but at least we had each other at the end of the day.

“Go to bed Morgan, I will see you in the evening. We must leave early tomorrow threw the tunnels to get to the bar. We have a new shipment coming in.” She nodded and disappeared into her room at the end of the hall closing the door. I never wanted this life, I especially didn’t want this life for Morgan. Everyone she ever loved is long since dead, never being able to be close to anyone. I know how lonely this life can be. Yawning I stretched out on the couch pulling the knitted blanket off the back and fell asleep.

Sun light crept over the city of Chicago, waking the sleeping masses. This would be just another day, busy Mom’s taking their kids to school, kids playing in nearer by parks, men and woman heading to work and being stuck in the stress of rush hour just hoping that they will collect another pay check to help get them by. A Greyhound bus pulled in from North Dakota, it’s breaks hissed and came to a complete stop. Copper looked out the window at the city that lay before him. He just spent the last twelve hours crammed on a bus with a group of people he didn’t care to know. An elderly lady dropped her knitting needles on the floor and she struggled to pick them up. Copper leaned over his seat, scooped them up and handed them to her. She smiled, “Thank you dear, is this your first time in Chicago?” He pushed his shaggy red hair out of his face, his gold eyes took in every line on her face, every gray hair on her head, the blue veins in her arthritic hands that probably have knitted more hats and mittens than he would ever see in his life time. His square jaw with its mid day scruff tightened at her question, “Yes, I’m hoping to start over here.” She smiled up at him, “Well I hope you fine what you are looking for dear. I’m here visiting my daughter, she just had her third child and I’m so truly blessed to be a Grandmother again.” She gathered up her bag of knitting and shuffled to the front of the bus where the driver waited to help her down. Copper stood up from his seat after everyone departed, he stretched his six-foot four frame to its full height releasing his stiff muscles. He reached up and grabbed his duffel bag from the over head compartment, making his way off the bus and on to the street. Looking up into the new day light, he wondered if he could start over in this city. He turned left out of the parking lot of the Greyhound and just started walking into the first day of new beginnings.